ABORS AND GALONGS. 41 



method of clearing is called " jhum-ing " and the fields are known as " jhums," in 

 Assam. The Abor word for a " jhum ' ' is a-rik. The charred logs are used to fence 

 off the family holdings, which are all apportioned by the Gam. These tree-trunks 

 are often the recognized and usual foot-paths through the fields. If a family is unable to 

 work its own land, an arrangement is made with some other household, who work the 

 plot instead, giving as rent a proportion of the crop, or labourers may be hired for a 

 food wage. The number of years that a "jhum ' ' is worked varies from I to 5 years, 3 

 being the usual period. Some of the fields in the Sipu valley, where substantial wooden 

 cattle-fences over 5 foot high are commonly used, and the alluvial flats of the Persen 

 valley in the Dana country (devoted largely to tobacco) appeared to be under even longer 

 periods of cultivation. The period during which the ' ' jhums ' ' lie fallow, and revert 

 into bush and light tree jungle easily distinguishable from virgin forest, depends to a 

 great extent upon the population that the area has to support. Within the radius of a 

 group of large villages the land may be taken up after four or five years, but old 

 " jhums," within the vicinity of small communities, have been noticed that must 

 have been over 20 years old. ' ' Jhuming ' ' does not appear to be carried on beyond 

 a height of 5,500 feet. Some of the fields, especially in the Galong and Mishmi country, 

 are on incredibly steep hill-sides. Terracing and the irrigation of the fields are both 

 unknown. All rice cultivation is dry, but in the Balek fields it was noticed that rice 

 was growing by itself in clumps that had been dibbled in by hand, an improvement 

 upon the usual indiscriminate sowing of all the crops together. It has been observed 

 that "jhum" cultivation is not nearly so clean in its second year, and the grasses 

 in the third year frequently almost choke the crops. Peal, 1 in his account 

 of various hill customs, notices this form of agriculture and points out that after the 

 site is abandoned creepers and young trees kill the grasses, which cannot grow in 

 shade, and so, by re-afforestation, the tract becomes once more ready for "jhuming." 

 The ground, when cleared, is prepared for sowing in the roughest manner by 

 scratching the surface to the depth of a few inches with a dao or a pointed stick. There 

 are two sowings, the first " ai-uk ' rice, in January and February, the second the 

 Mitt (white) rice in about April and May. The two harvests are in May and Septem- 

 ber — October ; but the time of harvest of course varies considerably. When the crops 

 are about 2 ft. high the fields are weeded and cleaned. Millet and job's-tears are sown 

 broadcast with the rice; they ripen more slowly and the millet sown for the second 

 crop is not ready till December. I was told by the Subansiri Daflas that they put in 

 about five times as much millet (from which they brew their beer) as they do rice. 

 Black dal and pepper are also grown. Chillies, cucumbers and pumpkins are grown in 

 quantities. Separate fields of maize were seen in the Dobang country. Round, and in 

 the middle of, many of the hill villages little enclosures are made where maize, sugar- 

 cane or opium are grown. Cotton is sown in April and gathered in October. Wax for 

 the smith's moulds is collected in May and June. This calendar applies to the southern 

 districts in normal years. The villagers are busy trapping during the off season. In 



1 J.A.S.B., Vol. LXIII, Part III , No. 1, 1894, p. 12. 



